By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy unless you have disabled them. You can change your cookie settings at any time but parts of our site will not function correctly without them. [Close]

The Associated Press (AP) has transmitted live, broadcast-quality video from 200 metres below the surface of the Indian Ocean in what the global news agency claims is a “broadcasting milestone”.

Using optical technology, footage was sent through seawater using LED light and from the surface via satellite to broadcasters and digital publishers around the world.

The footage was from First Descent by a UNESCO-backed international science team called Nekton on a deep-sea research mission.

“Getting a high-quality wire-free video signal from the uncharted depths of the Indian Ocean, alongside a science team that is exploring exciting new frontiers was a great moment. AP has always tried to be a pioneer in live broadcasting so it’s fitting we are pushing the boundaries by harnessing this kind of technology to give viewers a glimpse into a hidden world,” said Sandy MacIntyre, AP vice president and director of key initiatives.

Video was transmitted underwater using the blue light region of the electromagnetic spectrum in a method engineered by subsea communications specialist Sonardyne.

Scientists on the mission are exploring depths of up to 3,000 meters off the coast of the Seychelles in two-person submersibles backed up by an array of data gathering tools, including remote-controlled motion sensor cameras.

Over the seven week voyage, AP will provide video coverage of the search for submerged mountain ranges and coral forests, and hopes to capture sightings of previously undiscovered marine life.

Nekton CEO Oliver Steeds said: “With First Descent we want to explore the last great frontier on our planet, the deep ocean. With this amazing new optical technology we are able to broadcast what we are doing around the world to engage new audiences with our oceans. I am so thrilled that today we created not only a scientific first but a broadcasting first, too.”